PINETREE SECONDARY SCHOOL LIBRARY PHILOSOPHY
The Pinetree Secondary Library
is an integral part of the school’s educational program. It reflects and
supports the philosophy of the school; it shares and implements the school’s
aims and objectives. As well as providing materials and services to staff and
students, the library has a positive, active teaching role.
The principal
aim of the Pinetree Secondary’s library program is to assist students to become
informed decision makers and life-long learners. To achieve this goal, teachers
and the teacher-librarian cooperate as teaching partners to plan and implement
units of study. Essential to the success of the library’s objectives is the
support of the administration, staff, and students.
GOALS OF THE
PINETREE SECONDARY LIBRARY
1. Pinetree Secondary students will learn the
skills and strategies necessary to locate, analyze, evaluate, organize, and
communicate and present information from a variety of sources.
2. The
library will make available resources which will enrich and support the
curriculum and extend the students’ knowledge and experience taking into
consideration variations in educational abilities, learning styles, and
interests.
3. The operational functions of the library will be organized in
such a way that teachers and students will receive efficient service.
4. The
library will foster a pleasant, attractive, and inviting atmosphere which is
conducive to appropriate behaviour, and which will stimulate learning, research,
and recreational reading.
USE OF THE LIBRARY
1. With class bookings,
the teacher-librarians and teacher will plan assignments in advance and will
· Formulate the learning objectives for each unit
· Plan the learning
activities to accomplish these objectives that need to be taught/ reinforced
· Determine the resources needed to accomplish these objectives
Both the
teacher and teacher-librarian will be actively involved in teaching and
supervising the students.
2. Small groups and individuals are welcome to
use the library for studying, reading, research, and for the completion of
assignments and homework.
SELECTION OF MATERIALS
1. In selecting
materials for purchase, the teacher-librarian evaluates the existing collection
to determine immediate and long term objectives, and consults reputable,
unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids and specialists from all
subject areas.
2. Criteria for the selection of materials include the
following:
· Overall purpose
· Timeliness or permanence
· Importance
of the subject matter
· Quality of the writing / production
·
Readability and popular appeal
· Authoritativeness
· Reputation of the
publisher/ producer
· Reputation and significance of the author/ artist
/producer
· Format and price
3. Requests for materials from teachers and
students will be accepted only on the condition that they meet the criteria for
selection.
4. Gifts of materials will be entered into the collection on the
condition that they meet the criteria for selection.
5. Out-of-date or no
longer useful materials will be withdrawn from the collection.
CHALLENGED MATERIALS
Occasional objections to a selection will be
raised by the public despite the qualifications of persons who select the
materials. The principles of the freedom to read and of the professional
responsibility of the staff must be defended rather than the materials.
If a complaint is made, the district procedures are as follows:
1. The
complaintant will file a written complaint on a “Request for Reconsideration of Learning Resources” form available from the library. This form will be
submitted first to the principal and if further action is deemed necessary, the
form will then be submitted to a review committee.
2. The material being
challenged will be temporarily withdrawn pending a decision.
3. The review
committee will
a) read and examine the challenged material
b) check
general acceptance of the materials by reading professional reviews
c) weigh
values and faults against each other and form opinions based on the materials as
a whole and not on passages
d) meet to discuss the material and to prepare a
report on it
e) file a copy of the report in the school and administrative
offices.